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DBT therapy: emotions, skills & relationships

Dialectical behavior therapy, or DBT, is often searched alongside emotional regulation, skills, and comparisons with CBT. Start with Tammy Berman’s introduction to the approach, then listen to the different contexts in which other guests discuss it. Learning about a skill in a podcast is a starting point for understanding the language of treatment.

Conversations hosted by Diana S. Rice, LMHC, CIMHP, QS.

A little context before you listen

What are the four DBT skills areas?

DBT skills training covers mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Episode 49 introduces these areas and explains skills language such as Wise Mind and DEAR MAN.

Learn more: Behavioral Tech Institute: DBT skills.

Where can I hear DBT compared with CBT?

Dr. Lisa Napolitano discusses both in Episode 91, with examples involving perfectionism and self-validation. Tammy Berman’s Episode 49 is the more focused introduction to DBT. Ask a provider whether they offer a full DBT program, a skills group, or DBT-informed individual work.

Where would you like to begin?

Episode 49

Start here: DBT explained with Tammy Berman

Tammy Berman, LMHC, NCC, discusses DBT, emotional regulation, borderline personality disorder, and family dynamics. The interview introduces the four skills areas, the difference from other approaches, and resources mentioned in the episode notes.

Original episode: Mastering DBT: Tammy Berman, LMHC, NCC, on BPD, Emotional Regulation & Healing

Listen to the episode →Read the transcript

Episode 91

DBT, perfectionism, and self-validation

Dr. Lisa Napolitano and Diana discuss acceptance, change, mindfulness, and building a life connected to personal values. This conversation is especially useful if your first question is how CBT and DBT relate to one another.

Original episode: CBT, DBT & Renewing the Mind: Practical Tools for Perfectionism, Imposter Syndrome & Emotional Regulation w Dr. Lisa Napolitano

Listen to the episode →Read the transcript

Episode 55

DBT within Haitian and immigrant mental health

Ostin Celestin, Jr. discusses his DBT-informed work alongside EMDR, cultural expectations, and the stigma surrounding therapy. This interview adds a cultural perspective to the more technique-focused conversations.

Original episode: Breaking the Silence: Mental Health, Culture, and Healing in the Haitian Community with Ostin Celestin, Jr., LMHC, LMFT, EMDR Trained, QS

Listen to the episode →Read the transcript

Questions to take with you

  • Which area am I trying to understand: managing intense feelings, tolerating distress, or communicating needs?
  • What does the provider mean by DBT, and what would their program include?

These prompts are invitations to reflect, not a screening tool or a diagnosis.

Keep exploring the archive

The following episodes also mention DBT or dialectical behavior therapy in their titles, show notes, or available transcripts. Some mentions are brief. They are additional places to explore after the featured interviews.

Browse 20 more episodes mentioning this topic

Search the archive for DBT →